Directional closure for a container

ABSTRACT

A cap and an aerosol can. The can has a sidewall that terminates adjacent its upper edge in an upwardly facing groove. A can breast extends upwardly from the groove and terminates in a mounting cup having a downwardly facing shoulder. The cap has an outer wall, an inner wall and an intermediate wall, all concentric with each other. The intermediate wall and inner wall are fixed together but weakened so that they can be severed and separated to allow half of the cap to be removed from the can. The inner wall has a bead or rim around its inner periphery. The bead snaps under the mounting cup on the can and holds the inner wall fixed to the mounting cup when the intermediate and outer walls are removed.

United States Patent 1;1113,567,077

72 Inventors RichardF.IIendrickson 3,156,382 11/1964 Michell 222/402.13x

Erie; 3,225,958 12/1965 Frankenberg 222/402.13x

Roderick V.King,Girard,Pa. 3,348,740 10/1967 ODonnell.... 222/153 21 AppLNo. 775,040 3,367,540 2/1968 Lehmann 222/153 221 Filed Nov. 12,1968 3,462,045 8/1969 Markowitz 222/1591 45 Patented Mar. 2, 1971 Prim y ExammerSamuel F. Coleman [73] Asslgnee g z gfi m 'Atlorney-Charles L. Lovercheck Continuation-impart of application Ser. No 704,885, Feb. 12, 1968, now Patent No. I 3,438,537

[54] DIRECTIONAL CLOSURE FOR A CONTAINER ABSTRACT: A cap and an aerosol can. The can has a sidewall that terminates adjacent its upper edge in an upwardly facing groove. A can breast extends upwardly from the groove and terminates in a mounting cup having a downwardly facing shoulder. The cap has an outer wall, an inner wall and an ir1- termediate wall, all concentric with each other. The intermediate wall and inner wall are fixed together but weakened so that they can be severed and separated to allow half of the cap to beremoved from the can. The inner wall has a bead or rim around its inner periphery. The head snaps under the mounting cup on the can and holds the inner wall fixed to the mounting cup when the intermediate and outer walls are 9 Claims,3D1-awing Figs. 1

52] u.s.c1. 222/153, 222/182 511 1111.01 B67b5/00 501 FieldofSearch 220/27; 222/153, 182, 402.13

[56] ReferencesCitcd 111111131) STATES PATENTS 2,973,114 2/1961 Patton 222/402113x removed.

3 I I0 22 as PATENTEDHAR 21971 -315$7'.077

I? 35 20 /2 l l l l l l 2/ 20 I 1|: I III] FIG. 3 Ens. Z

INVENTORS.

RICHARD F. HENDRICKSON RODERICK 'V. KING ATTORNEY DIRECTIONAL CLOSURE nort CONTAINER CROSS-REFERENCE To OTHER APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation-in-part of Pat. applica- 5 tion, Ser. No. 704,885,.iiled Feb. l2, [968, now US. Pat. No. 3,438,537.

OBJECTS OF rns'mvenrlon It is an object of the invention .to' provide a tamper proof cap. '2 r Another object of the invention is to provide a tamperproof cap that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use. a i t Another object of the invention is to provide an improved tamperproof cap and aerosol can combination.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combinationarid arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and more particularly pointed out in the ap pended claims, it being understood thatchang'es may be made in the form, size,proportions and minor details of construc-.

tion without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the cap and can combination with the top disc removed. I r

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of' the cap in place on the aerosol can.

right angles to the view of FIG. 2.

Now with more particular reference to'the drawing, the cap is shown supported on the can ll. Thejcap 10 has an outer wall 12 that terminates in an opening adapted to receive the breast 20 of an aerosol can. The cap has the intermediate, wall 15 and the inner wall 17. The intermediate wall 15 and outer wall 12 are connected together by the annular upper end 14. The intermediate wall 15 has the annular recess defining annular shoulder 13 which receives the end member 18. The can has a breast that extends upwardly from the rim 21 and there may be a groove of a conventional type between the rim 21 and the breast 20. A bead l9 is integrally attached to the lower end of the inner wall and this bead'will snap under the rim 22 on the mounting cup. The bead 19 may be slightly smaller in minor diameter than the maximum diameter of the rim 22 so that when the bead I9 is disposed under the rim 22, the cap cannot be readily removed from the can. i

The inner wall 17 is closed at its upper end by the end member 29. The end member 29 has an opening 30 in it with the hollow boss 31 extending downward from the opening and receiving the valve 32 of the aerosol can. The valve 32 has akeyway on it that receives the key member 33 on the boss so that the cap will always be aligned with the valve. A groove 34 is formed in the end member 29 and extends outward laterally through the inner wall 17. Thus, when the valve 32 on the can,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the cap and can shown at extending through opening 20, is depressed by the finger of an operator, a spray will be directed through the groove 34. The material connecting the intermediate wall and the inner wall is weakened at 35 by forming an annular thin section around the open end of said inner wall so that the outer wall and intermediate wall may be severed from the inner wall, thus, the inner wall and boss will be fixed in place by the bead l9 and the can will be tamperproof since by virtue of the fact that the inner wall will be fractured and thus the outer wall and intermediate wall may be removed while said inner wall will remain on said can.

The cap is so designed that the outer wall 12 of each cap will receive the upper part ofeach other cap so that the caps can be stacked for shipment and storage.

1. In combination an aerosol can and a cap on said aerosol can comprising:

ing in a rim defining an opening;

said can having a generally cylindrical attached to said sidewall; a mounting cup attached to the upper end of said breast; said mounting cup having an annular rim with a downwardly facing annular portion;

said opening in said cap receiving said breast of said can;

an inner wall generally concentriewith said outer wall;

an intermediate wall between said inner wall and said outer wall; said intermediate wall being generally concentric to said inner wall and said outer wall;

means attaching said intermediate wall to said outer wall at the upper end thereof;

said intermediate wall and said inner wall terminating above the lower open end of said outer rim;

said inner wall receiving said mounting cup;

a bead integrally attached to said inner wall at its lower end,

said bead underlying a part of said mounting cup, said bead on said inner wall having a minor diameter less than the major diameter of said mounting cup whereby said bead on said inner wall can snap under said rim on said mounting cup and be disposed thereunder but said inner wall bead cannot be readily 'snappedQout from under said rim on said mounting cup; and

material connecting said intermediate wall to said inner wall, said material being weakened whereby said intermediate wall may be severed from said inner wall and said inner wall can remain affixed to said can.

2. The combination recited inclaim I wherein said inner wall has an upper end wall integrally fixed to the upper end of said inner wall:

an opening in the center of saidupper end wall;

a valve on said can extending through said opening; and

said upper end wall being contoured in a nonsymmetrical shape providing a laterally extending channel in said upper end from said opening through said inner wall whereby a spray from said valve can be projected through said channel whereby said cap is oriented to a particular position.

3. The combination recited in claim 2wherein a hollow boss is integrally attached to said upperiend wall and, extends downwardly therefrom and receives said valve.

4. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said means attaching said outer wall to said intermediate wall comprises:

a flat annular end wall integrally attached to said outer wall and said intermediate wall;

said intermediate wall being stepped downwardly and inwardly adjacent its upper end defining an annular shoulder; and

a generally round disc received on said annular shoulder.

5. A cap on an aerosol can comprising acuplike generally cylindrical outer wall terminating in arm defining an opening:

an inner wall generally concentric with said outer wall;

an intermediate wall between said inner wall and said outer wall; said intermediate wall being generally concentric with said inner walland said outer wall;

means attaching said intermediate wall to said outer wall at its upper end;

said intermediate wall and said inner wall terminating above the lower open end of said outer wall rim; a rim integrally attached to said inner wall at its lower end; said rim being adapted to underlie a part of a rim on a mounting cup of an aerosol can;

material connecting said intermediate wall and said inner wall said material being weakened whereby said outer wall and said intermediate wall may be removed from said inner wall;

an end member closing the upper end of said inner wall; and

said end member having an opening in. its, center and a channel formed in said end member'andextending from said opening through the side of said inner wall whereby when said cap is disposed on an aerosol can with the valve of said aerosol can extending through saidopening, a spray sidewall and a breast from said valve may be directed through said channel when said outer wall and said intermediate wall are removed from said inner wall. 7 6. The cap recited in claim wherein a hollow boss is integrally attached to said upper end member and extends downwardly therefrom is adapted to receive said valve of said aerosol can, said hollow in said boss being noncircular and said valvebeing complementary in shape whereby said cap is oriented on said valve.

7. The cap recited in claim 5 wherein an annular end wall is integrally attached to said outer wall and to said intermediate wall, said intermediate wall being steppeddownwardly and ini in:

claim 5 wherein said opening. 

1. In combination an aerosol can and a cap on said aerosol can comprising: said cap having an outer generally cylindrical wall terminating in a rim defining an opening; said can having a generally cylindrical sidewall and a breast attached to said sidewall; a mounting cup attached to the upper end of said breast; said mounting cup having an annular rim with a downwardly facing annular portion; said opening in said cap receiving said breast of said can; an inner wall generally concentric with said outer wall; an intermediate wall between said inner wall and said outer wall; said intermediate wall being generally concentric to said inner wall and said outer wall; means attaching said intermediate wall to said outer wall at the upper end thereof; said intermediate wall and said inner wall terminating above the lower open end of said outer rim; said inner wall receiving said mounting cup; a bead integrally attached to said inner wall at its lower end, said bead underlying a part of said mounting cup, said bead on said inner wall having a minor diameter less than the major diameter of said mounting cup whereby said bead on said inner wall can snap under said rim on said mounting cup and be disposed thereunder but said inner wall bead cannot be readily snapped out from under said rim on said mounting cup; and material connecting said intermediate wall to said inner wall, said material being weakened whereby said intermediate wall may be severed from said inner wall and said inner wall can remain affixed to said can.
 2. The combination recited in claim l wherein said inner wall has an upper end wall integrally fixed to the upper end of said inner wall: an opening in the center of said upper end wall; a valve on said can extending through said opening; and said upper end wall being contoured in a nonsymmetrical shape providing a laterally extending channel in said upper end from said opening through said inner wall whereby a spray from said valve can be projected through said channel whereby said cap is oriented to a particular position.
 3. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein a hollow boss is integrally attached to said upper end wall and extends downwardly therefrom and receives said valve.
 4. The combination recited in claim 2 wherein said means attaching said outer wall to said intermediate wall comprises: a flat annular end wall integrally attached to said outer wall and said intermediate wall; said intermediate wall being stepped downwardly and inwardly adjacent its upper end defining an annular shoulder; and a generally round disc received on said annular shoulder.
 5. A cap on an aerosol can comprising a cuplike generally cylindrical outer wall terminating in a rim defining an opening: an inner wall generally concentric with said outer wall; an intermediate wall between said inner wall and said outer wall; said intermediate wall being generally concentric with said inner wall and said outer wall; means attaching said intErmediate wall to said outer wall at its upper end; said intermediate wall and said inner wall terminating above the lower open end of said outer wall rim; a rim integrally attached to said inner wall at its lower end; said rim being adapted to underlie a part of a rim on a mounting cup of an aerosol can; material connecting said intermediate wall and said inner wall said material being weakened whereby said outer wall and said intermediate wall may be removed from said inner wall; an end member closing the upper end of said inner wall; and said end member having an opening in its center and a channel formed in said end member and extending from said opening through the side of said inner wall whereby when said cap is disposed on an aerosol can with the valve of said aerosol can extending through said opening, a spray from said valve may be directed through said channel when said outer wall and said intermediate wall are removed from said inner wall.
 6. The cap recited in claim 5 wherein a hollow boss is integrally attached to said upper end member and extends downwardly therefrom is adapted to receive said valve of said aerosol can, said hollow in said boss being noncircular and said valve being complementary in shape whereby said cap is oriented on said valve.
 7. The cap recited in claim 5 wherein an annular end wall is integrally attached to said outer wall and to said intermediate wall, said intermediate wall being stepped downwardly and inwardly adjacent its upper end defining an annular shoulder and a disc received on said annular shoulder.
 8. The cap recited in claim l wherein said opening in said cap is larger than the closed end of said cap and is adapted to receive the opposite end of an adjacent cap whereby said caps can be stacked.
 9. The combination recited in claim 5 wherein said opening in said cap is larger than the closed end of said cap and is adapted to receive the opposite end of an adjacent cap whereby said caps can be stacked. 